Using hormonal birth control methods, such as "the pill," may increase users' risk of blood clots, strokes and heart attacks, a new study has found. However, even then, a person's overall risk of these conditions is still low.
Using hormonal birth control methods may significantly increase a person's risk of experiencing a stroke or heart attack, with some methods carrying higher risks than others, a recent large study has found. "Our study analyzed nationwide data from over 2 million women in Denmark to assess the risk of stroke and heart attack among users of various hormonal contraceptives," first study author Dr. Harman Yonis , a doctor at Nordsjællands Hospital and doctoral study at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, told Live Science in an email. "We found that most forms of hormonal contraception … were associated with an increased risk of arterial blood clots," Yonis said, with the exception of intrauterine devices (IUDs). Such blood clots in arteries can cut off blood supply to the brain or heart, leading to stroke or heart attack , respectively. Hormonal birth control releases synthetic forms of female sex hormones, such as progestin, which mimics the hormone progesterone, and synthetic versions of estrogen. These medications and implants alter the monthly menstrual cycle and prevent pregnancy, usually by stopping the body from ovulating, or releasing an egg. Related: Young women may be likelier to die after heart attacks than men The National Center for Health Statistics, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that , from 2017 to 2019, 14% of U.S. women age 15 to 49 were on some type of contraceptive pill and 10.4% were using long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), which include the hormonal implant that's inserted into the arm and IUDs. Previous research has suggested that hormonal birth control may increase users' baseline risk of blood clots, potentially leading to strokes and heart attacks , but these findings have been inconsistent. Part of…